This invention involves a device and method of cleansing a person's back as well as application of a balm to the person's back.
Without a second person or some type of device, it is essentially impossible for a person to scratch his or her own back, scrub all of his or her own back in the shower or bath, or apply a balm to the small of his or her own back. Throughout this Specification and Claims, the term "balm" is intended to include any liquid that soothes, heals, or medicares a skin condition. The balm includes lotions, which are typically liquid aqueous suspensions or emulsions for skin conditions, as well as ointments and palliatives for soothing or treatment of dryness, itching, infection, pain, or the like.
A number of devices directed to washing the back include U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,519 to Robison which describes a stationary back scrubber with a resilient backing adhesively adhered to the wall above a bathtub on which a rubber sponge or polyurethane sponge is attached in segments on the front face. A liquid detergent reservoir is cut into the top of the resilient backing opening to the sponge panels on the front. A repositionable T-shaped back cleaning device covered in cloth is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,226 to Morgan. The lotion is released into a sponge applicator on the end of the device by a valve mechanism. The summary of German Patent No. 2426432 describes a shower fitting for back massage and washing which includes a massage plate with full padding and a textile covering. The plate may be connected at the back to a water pipe as it is equipped with water jets or nozzles. A back device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,358,733 to Heine which includes a sponge attached to a tube feeding liquid from a reservoir to the sponge which may be applied to those portions of the body that may be reached. A back washing apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,369 to Ensley with a foam covered horizontally disposed corrugated surface. A back scrubber is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,132 to Braun with horizontally positioned cylindrical scrubbers. A wall-mounted back brush, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,018 to Glaser, et al, is held in a vertical position on the wall with suction cups. A massaging and washing device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,985 to Guffin using horizontally disposed rollers. A concave back cleaning device utilizing a cloth covered panel is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,215 to Kennedy. A foot washing device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,372 to Willoby utilizing a pliable corrugated panel. A suntan applicator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,138 to Terbrusch, et al with a hollow handle into which suntan lotion is poured. Hand held soap holders and scrubbers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,900,757, 5,011,316, and 5,070,552. A wall mounted bathroom fixture including brushes and sponges for washing a person's back is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,362 to Walker. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,560 to Atkins a brush mounted with suction cups on a bathtub sidewall is described.
None of these devices provide as effective accessing of the recesses of a person's back nor provide as effective application of the balm as the invention described herein below.